20000119Order No 28259 - Notice of Application.doc

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF INLAND TELEPHONE COMPANY’S APPLICATION FOR AUTHORITY TO INCREASE RATES AND DISBURSEMENTS FROM THE IDAHO USF. )
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CASE NO. INL-T-99-2

NOTICE OF APPLICATION

ORDER NO. 28259

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that on December 21, 1999, Inland Telephone Company (Inland) filed an Application with the Commission for an Order authorizing the Company to increase its local exchange rates and to receive increased distributions from the Idaho Universal Service Fund (USF).
Inland’s last general rate case was conducted in 1991. Since that time, the Company notes, changes in the law were enacted requiring the elimination of implicit subsidies within the rates of incumbent telephone corporations. Inland proposes to adjust its local exchange rates and access charges to comply with the new USF eligibility thresholds determined by the Commission in Order No. 28124. Regarding local exchange rates, Inland proposes a phase in of the new rates over a three-year period. The Company contends that the combination of increased revenue requirement and proposed rate adjustments will require additional funding from the Idaho USF in the amount of $291,383 in the first year, $282,497 in the second and $273,573 thereafter.

FINDINGS OF FACT
Inland has submitted a proposed schedule of rates and charges for telephone service to become effective with bills issued on and after February 1, 2000. The Application is of sufficient importance and complexity to require the Commission’s investigation of the reasonableness of the proposed rate.
The Commission will be unable to consider the Application in Case No. INL-T-99-2 before February 1, 2000, because of the complexity of the evidence presented by the Application and because of previously scheduled matters and other demands on the Commission’s time.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission has jurisdiction over Inland a telephone company and its Application by virtue of Title 61, Idaho Code and the Rules of Procedure of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, IDAPA 31.01.01.000 et seq.
The Commission has authority under Idaho Code § 61-622 to suspend the rates that are the subject of the Application for a period of thirty (30) days plus five (5) months from the proposed effective date.
It is necessary to suspend the rates in this Application for a period of thirty (30) days plus five (5) months from the proposed effective date of February 1, 2000, or until such time as the Commission may issue an Order accepting, rejecting or modifying the Application in this matter, to allow the Commission to hear the evidence to be presented in this matter and to consider and determine the issues presented in this Application.

O R D E R
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the proposed schedule of rates and charges for Inland Telephone Company service in Case No. INL-T-99-2 should be, and hereby is, suspended for a period of thirty (30) days plus five (5) months from February 1, 2000, or until such time as the Commission may issue an Order accepting, rejecting or modifying the Application in this matter.

DONE by Order of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission at Boise, Idaho this _______ day of April 2003.

DENNIS S. HANSEN, PRESIDENT

MARSHA H. SMITH, COMMISSIONER

PAUL KJELLANDER, COMMISSIONER

ATTEST:

Myrna J. Walters
Commission Secretary

vld/O:INL-T-99-2_bp

NOTICE OF APPLICATION
ORDER NO. 28259 1

Office of the Secretary
Service Date
January 19, 2000